DEARBORN — The Dearborn Police Department has several new developments along the way, according to Police Chief Ron Haddad. In an exclusive interview, he updated the Arab American News about the hiring of six new police officers, a re-instated captain position, a new initiative involving other police departments, as well as information on how citizens can be safer this holiday season.

Chief Haddad told us exclusively that the department is preparing to run a warrant sweep in a collaborative effort with the WayneCounty Sheriff Department, the Detroit Police and the United States Marshals. The warrant sweep will seek individuals who have pending warrants for misdemeanors such as assaults, larceny, and home invasions. These individuals had scheduled court dates and failed to show up to their hearings. Chief Haddad hopes this initiative will send a message to the community.

“We take every crime and every victim seriously. If you commit a crime in Dearborn and you don’t show up to court, we will come for you,” Chief Haddad said. 

Chief Haddad also discussed the recent string of robberies and home invasions occurring around the city. Despite recent reports that 2012 saw a spike in home invasions, Haddad says those reports are not true, stating that the department is more prepared now than they have ever been to handle such occurrences.

“Year to date crime is down 12 percent. For the safety of our citizens, we also have plenty of transparency.We have our nixle system which alerts residents on breaking news, and we have crime mapping so they can see where certain crimes have occurred. It allows them be more aware,”  Chief Haddad stated. “There are no definite patterns…Crimes occur throughout the city on any given day. When we get a string of them in an area, we let the citizens know right away.” 

Chief Haddad says residents can be safer this holiday season if they follow certain tips. Vehicle thefts are more likely to occur if cars are left turned on, or certain packages and gifts are visible to the eye. Advertising new products at homes is another major misstep for many residents. When families purchase certain electronics or appliances such as TV’s or computers, many of them leave the empty packages outside of their homes, which alerts burglars who might be driving by. Chief Haddad says it’s important to dispose these packages as soon as the products are taken out of the box. 

Residents should also be on the look out for suspicious activity that includes individuals who are carrying backpacks. While sometimes a person with a backpack might turn out to be innocent, Chief Haddad says in many cases they could be carrying stolen items. He urges residents to call the tip line at 313.943.3030 if they see any suspicious activity. 

Chief Haddad also clarified details about a new captain position within the police department. Last week at the City Council meeting, the new position was approved, much to the dismay of the Police Officers Association, a union representing most of the police officers in the department. The union was upset with the idea of the position, citing recent legacy cuts and spikes on health insurance plans. Chief Haddad says the position had already existed a few years back, and it was brought back to implement more authority and supervision within the department.

“A while back we had a Deputy Chief and three commanders before we downsized to two commanders. We wanted a commander to serve when others were on vacation, and I think it holds a better line of accountability at the police department,” Chief Haddad stated.

Additionally, six new police officers have been added to the department. The officers are returning from the police academy this week and are expected to begin their duties next Monday. Earlier this year, many community members had expressed concerns over the lack of hiring of Arab American officers into the police department. While the city and the police department doesn’t document the ethnicity of their employees, Haddad had expressed that the department was looking to hire more employees who come from the Dearborn area. The identities of the new officers have not yet been made public. 

The department is looking to hire even more officers during the first quarter of 2013, when six current officers within the department are expected to retire.  For more hiring information, contact 313.943.2053.